Lamp bracket



Aug. 25, 1942. w. E. METCALF LAMP BRACKET Filed Feb. 5, 1940 Patented Aug. 25, 1942 1 Claim.

This invention relates to lamp brackets and bracket attachment for use in mounting an electric lamp upon an automobile or other support.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved lamp bracket of simple, inexpensive and efficient construction which will be particularly adapted to hold an electric lamp of the type shown and described in U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,148,314 granted February 21, 1939, to Daniel K. Wright.

To these ends I have provided a lamp-holding bracket, preferably in the form of an attachment for automobiles, constructed and operating as set forth in the following description, the several novel features of the invention being separately pointed out and defined in the claim at the close of the description.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a side elevation of a lamp bracket constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 2.

The illustrated embodiment of my invention is particularly constructed to serve as a support for a lamp A which is of the Sealed Beam type shown and described in Patent No. 2,148,314 above referred to. A lamp of this type comprises a rear glass parabolic reflector section a and a front transparent glass lens section a. The chimes of these two sections are fitted together and made integral by fusing after which the compartment thus formed is exhausted of its air contents and sealed. Within the hermetically sealed chamber thus provided is arranged the usual filament provided upon the back of section a with the usual terminals a for connection with a source of current. The two sections a, a of the lamp are formed exteriorly so as to provide an annular bead or flange a that is made upon its rear side with three groups of bosses, each group including a relatively high intermediate boss a flanked by two relatively low bosses a a These bosses were originally provided to seat upon and interlock with a lamp holder not herein shown.

My invention provides a new support for a lamp of the above described type and the illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises an elastic split ring or girdle I!) which, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, is interiorly of channel form in cross section so as to embrace the bead or flange a of the lamp. That is, the bead a fits within the channel upon the interior of ring or girdle HJ and is immova-bly confined therein ginal portion of the girdle when said ring or girdle is clamped on the lamp.

Each end of the split ring or girdle I6 is provided upon its exterior with an apertured radial tang l i and the said tangs H are disposed at opposite sides of the apertured head l2 of an apertured ring-supporting fixture herein shown as an eye-bolt E3. The eye-bolt I 3 is made with a radial flange It that is seated upon the top of a support for said fixture herein shown as the outer end portion of a cantilever arm l5, said outer end portion being formed with a slot or aperture l6 through which extends the shank of eye-bolt l3. The lower end portion of bolt i3 is threaded and has mounted thereon a nut ii and washer l8 by means of which the eye-bolt is rigidly clamped to the cantilever arm 15.

The outer end portion of arm IE on which the flange IA of the eye-bolt is seated is made partispherical with its top and bottom surfaces parallel. Thus, by loosening nut 11 the eye-bolt and lamp may be pivotally tilted in any direction to set the same in any desired position within the limits of slot It.

A bolt It extends through the apertures of tangs II and also the eye of bolt l3 and is provided with a nut 29 which is normally set up tight so as to fixedly clamp the tangs to the eyebolt and also clamp the girdle Hi tightly around the lamp.

The hub end of cantilever I5 contracted and is made with an aperture that is occupied by the upper end of a bolt 2| on which are loosely mounted two opposed hook jaws 22 and 23 and also a nut 24 disposed below the lowermost jaw 23. The jaws 22 and 23 are adapted to be applied to the opposite edges of the bumper of an automobile, said bumper being indicated by dotted lines at 25 in Fig. 1. It will be clear that when nut 24 is loosened the arm I 5 may be adjusted angularly on the axis of bolt 21 to occupy any desired position but that normally said arm is locked in its adjusted position by said nut.

Upon its rear side the girdle H] is provided with three pockets 26 herein shown as cut-outs 01' notches, each of said pockets receiving within it, or embracing, one of the groups of bosses a a with the opposite ends of the pocket serving as stops to prevent rotative displacement of the lamp within the girdle.

Lamps of the type referred to require to be positioned with their top uppermost and therefore the pockets 26 are formed in the rear marso that when the latlamp the top of the latter is in position on the ter occupies its proper uppermost position.

The girdle l may be made from any suitable material but as herein shown consists of a molded strip of sheet metal having angular tang members H, H brazed, welded, or otherwise fastened or formed, adjacent to the opposite ends of said girdle. Also, the pockets 26 may be formed otherwise than as herein illustrated so long as they cooperate with the bosses on the lamp to position the latter. Or, if desired, any other suitable means may be substituted for the pockets 26 to cooperate with the bosses in positioning the lamp within the girdle.

The above described connection between the girdle l0 and the lamp-supporting cantilever arm l provides a joint which permits of universal adjustment of the lamp while the connection between the cantilever arm l5 and its supporting fixture 25 provides for lateral adjustment of the lamp on the axis of bolt 2|.

What I claim is:

A bracket for supporting a lamp of the character described that is made upon its exterior with an annular bead and also with positioning bosses, said bracket comprising an expansible and contractible girdle in the form of a split ring made with a longitudinal channel upon its interior adapted to be occupied by said bead, with lamp positioning pockets adapted to be occupied by said lamp-positioning bosses and at its opposite ends with a pair of depending flat apertured tangs; an eye-bolt having a vertically disposed threaded shank provided at its upper end with an apertured head disposed between said tangs; a clamping bolt extending horizontally through the apertures of said tangs and head and by which said tangs and head are normally clamped rigidly together but with provision for angular adjustment of said girdle and lamp on the axis of said clamping bolt when the latter is loosened; a cantilever bracket arm on one end of which said eye-bolt is mounted with provision for rotative adjustment on the axis of its shank; a nut on said shank by which said eye-bolt is normally clamped fixedly in position on said bracket arm, and means for clamping the opposite end of said cantilever bracket arm rigidly to a fixed part of an automobile, said clamping means when loosened providing for angular adjustment of said bracket arm on a vertical axis.

WILLIAM E. METCALF. 

